Can drying apparatus



Nov. 29, 1949 H, JR 2,489,468

CAN DRYING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 29, 1946 HORACE L. SMITH JR.

IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY Nov. 29, 1949 H. L. SMITH, JR

CAN DRYING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 29, 1946 INVENTOR.

A) ATTORNEY w w w L m w H V. B

Nov. 29, 1949 H. L. SMITH, JR 2,489,468

CAN DRYING APPARATUS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 29, 1946 Fly 4 HORACE L. SMITH JR.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY Nov. 29, 1949 H] L. SMITH, JR 2,489,468

cm DRYING APPARATUS Filed March 29, 1946 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 HORA GE L. SMITH JR.

IN VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 29, 1949 cAN DRYING APPARATUS Horace L. Smith, Jr., Richmond, Va, assignor to Chain Belt Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application March 29, 1946, Serial No. 658,141

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in can drying apparatus; particularly to that form of drier which dries each container of a row of containers placed end to end, simultaneously. The invention is well adapted to be used with a prior invention of the applicant, viz. Apparatus for treating canned material (2,348,440, May 9, 1944, H. L. Smith, Jr. et al.) when it is used therewith, a row of containers of circular cross section which have been immersed in the liquid bath of the above mentioned apparatus, is passed into the improved machine and is there promptly dried. The drying cycle lasts as long as the interval between the rows of containers expelled from the apparatus for treating canned materials; the two machines can also be synchronized by hydraulic controls which are not part of this invention.

It is broadly the object of the invention to remove moisture from the surface of cylindrical cans or containers of circular cross section subsequent to a heating or cooling treatment.

It is further the object of this invention to remove moisture from cans or containers quickly.

Another object of this invention is to dry a large number of cans or containers without undue handling.

A further object of this invention is to quickly remove moisture from the surfaces of a row of containers having their longitudinal axis aligned.

Still another object of this invention is to simply perform the can drying operation.

It is further an object of this invention to provide an improved can drying machine of simple and inexpensive manufacture.

Referring to the figures of the accompanying drawings a complete embodiment of the invention is illustrated as its preferred form. The same reference numerals designate the same parts in all the views.

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the complete machine.

Fig. 2 is -a' front elevation of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the machine. Fig. 4- is a side elevation partly in section showing thefeatures of the lifting mechanism and raised position of the rolls.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the construction of the braking means.

Fig. 6 is another sectional view showing the construction of the idler or driven rolls along chine is positioned adjacentto an apparatus for treating canned material [2 such as is described in the Letters Patent No. 2,348,440, May 9, 1944, H. L. Smith, Jr. et al. Mounted in the center of the instant machine and running longitudinally thereof is an endless belt conveyer I3. The belt conveyer is supported at each end by rolls transverse to the belt and driven by one of them, a driving roll Hi and an idler roll 15. The driving roll M is actuated by an electric motor I6 which is connected to the driving roll by means of a chain I! and sprockets. The conveyor belt is tensioned by a roll l8 and an idler l9. Attached to the lever supporting the shaft of the roll I8 is a chain 23 which is trained over a pulley 2| and which is further attached to a static weight 22. The conveyer belt I3 is partially supported by running over a steel plate 23 which extends the len th of the machine from roll to roll.

Above the belt two driving rolls 24 and 25 are positioned. They are long longitudinal rolls running the length of the machine. These are fixed rolls, i. e., their bearings are set in plates 26 which are fastened to the frame In of the machine. They are driven. i. e.. rotated by means of a motor 21. An endless chain belt 28 passes over the sprocket 29 and over the sprockets affixed to the shafts extending from the driving rolls 24 and 25. The sprocket 29 is pinned to a shaft 30 which has a sprocket fixed on the opposite end and which engages another sprocket fixed to the motor shaft.

Referring to Fig. 4 it is noted that the chain 28 passes around the sprocket 3| which is fixed to the roll 25 and'over the sprocket 32 which is an idler sprocket, thence over the sprocket 33 which is affixed to the roll 24. The chain is trained over the sprocket 29 as previouslydescribed.

Positioned directly below the driving rolls are the idler or driven rolls 34 and 35. These rolls are positioned somewhat to straddle the belt l3. Theyare mounted on each end to movable plates 35 and 36', so that a stub shaft projecting from each end of the rolls has its journal bearing in the plates 36 and. 36'.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 6 it will be noted that the plates 36 and 36' are floating plates, 1. e., not affixed to the frame. It also is a fact that the bottom of the plates through the vertical center line are curved. A hardened steel button 31 is fastened to the center of this curvature as a wearing surface for the plunger 38 which is supported by the guides 39.

The plunger 38 is apertured transverse to its upstanding portion, to permit the movement of the cam or eccentric shaft 40 which is aflixed to the shaft ll. The shaft 4! has attached to it a lever arm 22 which may be connected by means of another lever to a hydraulic cylinder. The plunger 38' on the other end of the rolls is connected by a lever and rod linkage 43 to the lever and the whole assembly may be operated by the hydraulic plunger as mentioned above. Thus the vertical movement of the two plungers 38 and 38 is simultaneous; because of the linkage 43 which permits the raising and lowering of the rolls 35 and 35 parallel to the horizontal at all times. Thus when the lever 62 is turned clockwise the eccentric shaft 40 holds the plunger 38 down; when the lever 42 is rotated counterclockwise the plunger 38 is raised. The raising of the plungers lifts the plates 36 and 36; this action lifts the cans or containers 44 off the belt I3 and forces them against the live rolls 25 and 24. The cans thereby rotate at high speed; centrifugal force, the exposure to a great volume of air and the sometimes sweeping effects of the rollers quickly cleanse and dry a row of cans.

After the cans are moved against the driving rolls and are held there for the proper interval the lever -52 may be rotated by force applied from a hydraulic cylinder and piston in a clockwise direction. In the embodiment shown the lever is hand operated. Thereupon the end plates 3E and 36 are lowered as previously described. This lowers the idler rolls 34 and 35 which continue to rotate as do the cans M. The rotating cans are guided by the guards 45. As the end plates descend, the idler rolls 34 and 35 impinge against the brakes 65. This stops the rotation of the rolls and cans and/or containers which are then sped away by the conveyer belt E3. The brakes 46 are contoured to conform to the surface of the rolls and this contoured surface is of a material of high frictional qualities. The braking shoes 46 are mounted on springs 41 disposed at the under side of the brakes at each end of them; they bear on the braking shoes and on the frame member. The braking shoes thereby float as pressure is applied to them or released from them. They are also guided by means of the pins 46.

Referring to Fig. 6 which is a sectional view showing the driving roll 25; it will be noted that the bearings used therewith are of a standard sleeve type. The roll 25 is tubular and has stub shafts 48 forced into it at each end; they are locked by a pin 49 through the rolls and stub shaft. The tubular rolls are covered with a somewhat resilient material 59 which has a substantially high coefficient of friction when wetted. The embodiment shown includes neoprene, however, other materials may be used. This is necessary as the machine operates under moist conditions.

Referring again to Fig. 6, which is also a sectional view of the idler roll 34, it will be further noted that the bearings used therewith are of the standard ball variety. The roll 35 is tubular and has stub shafts 52 forced in them at each end. These are locked to the tubular rolls by means of a pin 53. These rolls are also covered with a resilient material 54 which has a somewhat high coeiiicient of friction when wetted with water.

The operation of the preferred embodiment of the invention is as follows: the cans or containers which come from the apparatus for treating canned materials l2 longitudinally seriatim, are moved by the belt conveyer I3 until the leading can is stopped by the hydraulically controlled gate 55 which is shown in a closed position in Fig. i. The gate stops a row of cans against further forward motion and they momentarily slide on the belt conveyor l3. Whereupon the idler rolls 3d and 35 are raised manually, or by the action of the hydraulic cylinder and piston acting on the lever 42, and the eccentric shaft 40 arrangement previously described and which may also be synchronized to the correct flow of cans from the apparatus for treating canned material l2. The row of cans or containers are then lifted up and forced against the driving rolls 24 and 25. The row of cans or containers are then rotated at a high speed. The droplets of water are thrown off the surfaces of the cans or containers due to'the great centrifugal force occasioned by their rotation. The moisture is further removed by evaporation due to the exposure of the water film to air, and the sweeping effects of the driving rolls also assist in removing moisture. After the rotation cycle the idler rolls 34 and 35 lower the row of cans or containers, this by action of the eccentric shaft 48 on the plunger occasioned by force applied manually or, by a hydraulic cylinder through a lever and rod linkage. During this interval the cans or containers are guided between the guides 45.

As the idler rolls 34 and 35 descend they bear against the brakes 46. The rotation of the rolls and supported cans or containers then stops. The cans fall onto the belt I3, which operates continuously, the gate 55 is opened and the cans or containers are sped away, dry and ready for labeling. The drying period may be shortened by the use of air jets or blasts, which would serve to blow off any adhering liquid more quickly.

This invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment shown, but features of it and variations of the improved apparatus will occur to those skilled in the art in the reading of the foregoing description and the following claims; these are well within thespirit of the invention and are to be limited only by the clear import of the claims.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is:

1. In apparatus for removing moisture from the surfaces of containers of circular cross section, idler rolls extending to support a plurality of containers, a conveying belt to move a row of containers longitudinally aligned between said idler rolls, adjacent live rolls covered with a resilient tractive material; means arranged to first raise the idler rolls thereby lifting said row of containers off the belt, and force the row of containers against the live rolls, whereby they are rotated and the moisture removed therefrom, and thereafter to lower the containers to deposit them on the belt, and means to arrest the rotation of the containers after they have been removed from the live rolls, but before they are deposited on the belt.

2. In an apparatus for removing moisture from the surfaces of containers of circular cross section, idler rolls extending to support a plurality of containers, conveying means to position a row of containers having their longitudinal axes aligned between said idler rolls; adjacent live rolls covered with a resilient tractive material; means to first raise the rolls supporting the containers and force the containers against the live rolls whereby they are rotated thereby removing moisture therefrom; and means to stop the rotation of said containers.

3. An apparatus for,- removing moisture from the surfaces of containers of circular cross section, comprising a pair of rotatable idler rolls arranged parallel to each other extending for a length to support a plurality of containers; conveying means to centrally position a row of containers having their longitudinal axes aligned between said idler rolls; a tractive resilient surface on said idler rolls; parallel adjacent live rolls extending the length of said row of containers, a tractive resilient covering on said live rolls; means to raise and lower the container supporting idler rolls, said idler rolls when raised forcing the said containers against the live rolls, whereby the containers and idler rolls are rotated, thus removing moisture from the surface of the containers; and friction means to arrest the rotation of the idler rolls whereby the rotation of the containers supported thereon is arrested.

4. In an apparatus for removing moisture from containers of circular cross section, a conveyor for carrying the containers seriatim, rotatable idler rolls straddling the conveyor, rotating driving means arranged adjacent the conveyor and normally out of contact with the containers; means operable to move said idler rolls relative to the conveyor in the first instance, whereby the said containers are forced against the rotating driving means causing the moisture to be centrifugally removed from said containers, and operable in the second instance to withdraw the containers from the rotatable driving means.

5. The combination in a can drying machine, of means to simultaneously convey a plurality of cans Within said machine, means to simultaneously stop all of said cans on said conveying means, means to support said plurality of cans having their longitudinal axes aligned by contact with a relatively small area of the cans, guide means to retain the axial alignment of said cans, and means to operate said supporting means to bodily rotate the cans to centrifugally remove moisture therefrom.

HORACE L. SMITH, JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,415,258 Nelsen May 9, 1922 1,537,625 Skinner May 12, 1925 1,689,757 Taylor Oct. 30, 1928 1,723,256 Scott Aug. 6, 1929 2,205,702 Stewart et al June 25, 1940 2,234,766 Kennedy et a1. Mar. 11, l9A1 2,436,082 Stout Feb. 17, 1948 

